Jakarta, July 4 -- ASEAN may soon start deliberations on Papua New Guinea's accession to the regional bloc, according to Director General for ASEAN Cooperation at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry Sidharto R. Suryodipuro.

"The accession application as an ASEAN member has been received from Papua New Guinea, and the next procedure will follow... it will be based on the consensus among ASEAN countries," he said after a press conference here on Thursday.

The consensus, he added, will determine whether Papua New Guinea will follow a similar path in its membership process as Timor-Leste.

He added that no amendment to the ASEAN Charter would be required to accommodate Papua New Guinea's membership, since the charter stipulates "location in the...